Lat Shrug Downs

[Zak]

I've seen this exercise being taught as a lat builder but isn't it really a trap and teres exercise?

 

[imported_fck80]

Zak, do you have a link to that exercise.

 

[Bryan Haycock]

I'll do them both from the chin bar as well as on the dip bars. I like the chinning bar becasue it allows you to contract the lower lats in their utmost stretched position. Keep in mind that this requires a tremendous amount of weight to be effective, just as regular shrugs do for the traps.

One word of caution. When doing these from above, be careful not to over stretch the shoulder joint. If you are not careful you will get a bit of subluxation...which isn't good. Too much of this will cause instability of the shoulder joint.

 

[Zak]

fck80: Sorry mate I don't have a link but essentially you hang from a chinning bar and shrug yourself up.

Brian: Thx for the caution. What part of the body do dip shrugs exercise, the pecs?

 

[Bryan Haycock]

Quote[/b] (Zak @ Mar. 17 2004,11:10)]Bryan: Thx for the caution. What part of the body do dip shrugs exercise, the pecs?

The same as when hanging from a chinning bar. Except the muscle isn't in a stretched position anymore. Just like the difference between standing calf raise and seated calf raise.
You'll use your lats, pecs, pec minor, rhomboids, serratus, and intercostals, and whatever other small muscles are hooked to the rib cage and shoulder girdle.

 

[Zak]

Brian: what muscle would fail first if you were to perform these exercises to failure?

 

[Bryan Haycock]

Quote[/b] (Zak @ Mar. 18 2004,3:03)]Brian: what muscle would fail first if you were to perform these exercises to failure?

The smaller muscles. Which smaller muscle depends on what type of contractions are happening, endurance vs power.

However, as they fail, you will continue to rep out. Its just that the larger muscles like the lats and pecs will increasingly be takeing the brunt of the load. When you can no longer budge your body up, it will be because the larger muscles have failed.